1988 Winter Olympics
The XV Olympic Winter Games were held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Olympics were highly successful, financially, as they brought in million-dollar profits. The games have left a lasting impression on the host city and gave it a new identity from a cowtown to a large commercial sector of the country.
The 1988 Games were the last games where the Paralympics were not also held in the same city.
Highlights
- Two competitors, Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards in ski jumping and the Jamaican Bobsled Team, entered their respective competitions with little experience and less chance of winning any medals. However, the determination of these novices to compete in spite of being outmatched by their competitors won the affection of the spectators which overshadowed the actual winners. They were hailed as demonstrating the true Olympic spirit as playing for the simple thrill of competition. The story of the bobsledding team was made into a film called Cool Runnings.
- Curling, Freestyle skiing, short track speed skating and paralympic skiing were demonstration events.
- For the first time in history the Winter Olympics were extended to 16 days, the speed skating events were held indoors on a covered rink, the alpine events took place on artificial snow, and warm Chinook winds not only threatened to cancel events, but sent a ski jumper flying into a camera tower.
- The United States only won 6 medals in this Olympics. It is the worst performance from a team fielded by the U.S.
Medals awarded
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:
- Biathlon
- Bobsleigh
- Ice Hockey
- Luge
- Skating
- Skiing
- Curling (demonstration sport)
- Short-track speed skating (demonstration sport)
- Freestyle skiing (demonstation sport)
- Disabled alpine skiing (exhibition sport)
- Disabled blind cross-country skiing (exhibition sport)
Venues
- Canada Olympic Park - Ski jumping, bobsleigh, luge, nordic combined, freestyle skiing (aerials and balet), disabled alpine skiing
- Canmore Nordic Centre - Cross-country skiing, biathlon, nordic combined, blind cross-country skiing
- Max Bell Arena - Curling and short-track speed skating
- McMahon Stadium - opening and closing ceremonies
- Nakiska - Alpine skiing, freestyle moguls skiing
- Olympic Oval - Speed skating
- Olympic Saddledome - ice hockey, figure skating (primary venue)
- Stampede Corral - Figure skating and ice hockey (secondary venue)
Medal Count
Top medal-collecting nations:
(for the full table, see 1988 Winter Olympics medal count)
| 1988 Winter Olympics medal count | File:Olympic-rings.png | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 |  USSR |
11 | 9 | 9 | 29 |
| 2 | File:East Germany flag.png East Germany | 9 | 10 | 6 | 25 |
| 3 | File:Switzerland flag large.png Switzerland | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| 4 | File:Finland flag large.png Finland | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | File:Sweden flag large.png Sweden | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | File:Austria flag large.png Austria | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| 7 | File:Netherlands flag large.png Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 8 | File:Germany flag large.png West Germany | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 9 | File:USA flag.png United States | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 10 |  Italy |
2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
The Olympics in Canada and Calgary
1988 was the second time Canada had hosted the Olympics, this includes the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Subsequently, Canada won the bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympics for Vancouver.
Unfortunately, like in Montreal, the host Canadian team again failed to obtain a gold medal. The Canadian Olympic Committee has pledged to change this at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Calgary gained international stature from the Olympics, and ended the events with world class facilities to host interntational meets and serve as a training facility. Ever mindful of the financial disaster of the 1976 Summer Olympics, Calgary was financially successful, erasing the spectre of a second Canadian games at a loss. Its use of the profits for the future Canada Olympic Park and the funding of Canadian athletes through CODA gave Calgary a lasting legacy and impact on the Canadian sports scene. It also provided funds for the maintenance and upgrading of athletic facilities in Calgary, Banff, and Lake Louise.
Not only was there a profound economic impact, there was a substantial social one as well. From the unprecedented volunteer involvement in staging the games, to a program where ordinary Calgarians could purchase, for $19.88, a brick at the medal presentation plaza with their name laser-engraved on it, the involvement of prdinary Calgarians was evident. This was of paramount importance to the organizing committee, OCO'88, as it kept the games from appearing distant and "out of reach".
